Kenya will compensate nearly 2,000 victims of protest-related human rights abuses in a nationwide reparations process announced by President William Ruto.
The government confirmed on Monday that affected individuals will begin receiving payments next week after verification by the state-funded human rights commission. The total compensation package is expected to amount to around $15 million.
Ruto said the move is an acknowledgment that harm occurred, while stressing that it should not be interpreted as an admission of legal liability. He made the remarks during the launch of a national Reparations Framework Report.
Kenya has experienced repeated waves of violent protests in recent years, including anti-government demonstrations over tax increases in June 2024 and June 2025, which left dozens dead and many others injured. Businesses and property were also destroyed during unrest that authorities say was partly driven by criminal elements.
In earlier incidents, protests linked to opposition to an Ebola quarantine facility for foreign nationals resulted in deaths and injuries, further intensifying concerns over public safety during demonstrations.
Despite the scale of damage, the government emphasized that the compensation is not intended as a “price for life or suffering,” nor as encouragement for violence. Officials say the process is meant to support national healing.
Human rights officials welcomed the initiative, saying it gives recognition to victims whose experiences had often gone unacknowledged and helps build a foundation for truth, remembrance, and reconciliation.
